Connection opened.
Gateway: Black Pipe….
Source: Null
Destination: Checking..........Found

Connection opened.
Connection Established.
Outgoing port:4949

You still there? Good. I didn’t think it would hold for a minute there, but the connection seems to be stable, so I’ll tell you a story.
Once upon a time, a game called Bioshock was released. A game that unlike so many others, actually lived up to the hype, being the best looking game on the Xbox, with unparalleled gameplay features. I’ll spare you the details, because that’s not what my story’s about. My story’s about the makers of the game, and what they did.

You know how when you purchase a pc game, the system requirements are posted on the back of the case along with other relevant information such as, “does not work with gamepads”? There is no such information on the Bioshock case, despite needing an active internet connection to complete installation. Also not included is the fact that it silently installs a program in your computer that allegedly behaves like a virus. And perhaps most important, nowhere on the box does it mention that there is a limited number of times you can install the game

Yeah that’s right, when the game was released, the maximum number of times you could install it was two. Right off the bat, you can see why that was a very stupid idea. When you pay full cash money for an item, you don’t expect to be restricted with what you do with it, and if it comes with restrictions, you expect to be forewarned. That’s why all pc games have a EULA that you must accept before being allowed to continue. But no, 2K Games decided to play a not so funny joke on their customers. To make matters worse, their method of protecting the software from nefarious users involved installing a program in the user’s computer, completely without the user’s knowledge. This program has been called a rootkit by most, harmless by 2K, neither of which really matters. What matters is that when you install the game, this program is installed along with it without your knowledge, let alone consent.

A breach of trust of this magnitude should be dealt with very seriously, but who will bell the cat? Thousands of people (myself included) have already purchased the game, and at least 50% of those people have had a problem with it, as a direct result of the stupid install limit. When gamers all over the world were (unsurprisingly) outraged, and complained, the install limit was raised to a “5 by 5” system, which means that you can install the game on 5 different computers, but only 5 times on each machine.

Do you see what they did there? They completely sidestepped the fact that there should not be an install limit AT ALL. It is very similar to the way unfavourable bills are passed in the government: First, an outrageously bad idea is proposed, and then when the people complain and kick up a major fuss, the original (bad) idea is then suggested as an alternative, which is then seen as a favourable option compared to the horrible one. But what do I know eh? I just call ‘em as I see ‘em, and Bioshock for PC isn’t a very good idea. If you’re wondering why I’m telling you this story, you haven’t been listening. You gotta spread the word and warn people, let them know what they’re getting into. And maybe, just maybe they’ll get me out of here

So you've found out how to get all this Free Stuff, and you want some Free Games Consoles for yourself. You now how to choose which Freebie console you want, hmm let me see, free PS3, Free Xbox 360 or Free Nintendo wii? Decisions, decisions, dicisions......

A while ago, the Xbox 360 was launched. It represented a giant leap forward in terms of video game console innovation. Then the Playstation 3 came out a few months later, claiming to be bigger, badder, and more of a beast inside. Well naturally, it had had extra development time, enough to give it all the things the Xbox was lacking at launch. I’m not going to get into an in depth discussion about all the politics behind console launches, instead I’m going to talk about the consoles themselves.

As we all know by now (and if you don’t, where have you been?), one is made by Microsoft, and the other by Sony, carrying on a tradition of fierce rivalry which started when Microsoft decided it didn’t just want a piece of the gaming pie, it wanted the whole damn thing. Naturally, Microsoft fans will prefer the Xbox no matter how much information is shown to its detriment, same with Sony fans so I will attempt as fair as possible a comparison between the two. BATTLE ROYALE, BABY!

Let’s start with the Microsoft’s baby. It comes in three basic variations, The Core, the Premium, and the Elite. The Elite is going to be our gunman for this shootout, seeing as it outclasses the other Xbox flavours. It’s got a hard drive big enough to make my PC raise an eyebrow in question; 120GB which is more than enough to store all the game demos released on Xbox Live. It’s also got an HDMI port, which is a plus for all the tech heads out there. And perhaps the most in its favour, it comes in matte black, colour of ninjas everywhere. On top of all of that, it’s backwards compatible with a large list of Xbox games, requiring only a software update. On the downside, it’s got exactly the same insides as the other variations, meaning it’s just as likely to suffer from the dreaded Ring Of Doom (a.k.a Ring Of Fire, Ring Of Death). This is when the console’s lights turn red signalling a hardware fault, usually due to overheating but also for other faults.

Sony’s poster boy comes in two variations (in the UK anyway), the 60Gb model and the recently released 40Gb model. Following in the tradition of putting your best foot forward, the 60Gb model will be stepping up to bat. Its 60Gb hard drive is... okay, I guess. It’s not gonna win any awards anytime soon, but it sure beats having to buy memory cards like they’re going out of fashion (Remember the PS2? Oh, you still have one?). It also comes with an HDMI port, and is also black. Except, its black is as shiny as a new born baby’s bottom, meaning as soon as you unwrap it you’re gonna be territory marking like no man’s business. In case I’m being obscure here, here’s a hint. Fingerprints galore. It’s also backwards compatible with all PS2 games (may require firmware update). Perhaps the clincher is that it’s got a Bluray DVD player built into it, saving you shelling out for a separate device. On the downside, The Sixaxis (the PS3’s gamepad) looks like a wireless and motion sensitive version of the Dualshock (the PS2’s gamepad). It may sound like nitpicking, but if you’re buying a brand new console, you want everything about it to look and feel not so much new, but different. The real downside is that it looks like a giant fax machine.

LET’S GET IT ON!

Categories and Results:

Sex Appeal:
The Elite wins this one hands down. I can just picture a hot chick coming into the living room and seeing it in a corner, quietly glowing green on black, and asking “ooh, what’s that mysterious machine in the corner?” And then you launch into a very detailed but only mildly interesting description of your pride and joy. For the PS3 that scene would go like this: “er... why’ve you got a giant fax machine under your tv? And more importantly, why’s it got fingerprints all over it?” Simply put, the Playstation is not as attractive as the Xbox, and the shiny black it’s got makes it even less appealing after a few weeks of use

Xbox 1, PS3 0

Features:
With wireless capability built right into the box, a built in Bluray DVD player, AND full backwards compatibility, the Playstation wins this one. In this category, the only thing the Xbox had going for it was the HDMI port, and the PS3 neutralised that. They also both have wireless gamepads; while the Playstation’s Sixaxis has motion sensing, it doesn’t have pad rumble which the Xbox pad has.

Xbox 1, PS3 1

Interconnectivity:
Some people, like me for instance, like to have all their devices talk to each other or at least be able to. The Xbox can communicate with Windows XP and Windows Vista enabled computers straight out of the box, as long as both devices are on the same network. The Xbox can stream movies and music from the computer, and vice versa, letting you play some games to your soundtrack instead. It makes sense really, since Microsoft is the daddy of the Windows OS and the Xbox. While the PS3 isn’t as fortunate in that regard, it is able to communicate with the PSP, and download PS1 titles and other goodies (like demos and such) from the marketplace. I’d say the Xbox wins this one, seeing as you can get demos from Xbox Live as well.

Xbox 2, PS3 1

Value for money:
PS3 wins this one, mainly because of the built in wireless receiver, and the Bluray DVD player. Those are two extra devices you don’t have to buy once you’ve got a PS3, and they can get quite expensive.

Xbox 2, PS3 2

And there you have it folks, a tie. It was inevitable really, seeing as they’re both consoles and can both play games, with each going the extra mile in different aspects. The Playstation wants to get a place of honour (or at least a place of note) in your living room, what with being able to play Bluray DVDs, backwards compatibility, connectivity with the PSP, and having a built in wireless receiver. For your money, it’s a pretty good deal. The Xbox however, is content to sit in your games room (or attic, or basement, or regular ol’ bedroom), completely isolated from the outside world and be used for the sole purpose of playing games. If you want to use Xbox Live, the decision is up to you. If you want your Xbox and your computer to communicate, the choice is also up to you. If you want to eschew wires and go wireless, the choice, once again, is up to you. It might seem like a cop out, like Microsoft is forcing you to spend more money on more items, but it’s not really. Putting all those extras in would have driven the price up.

At the end of the day though, what it really boils down to, is which corporation you trust/like more. Having dealt with Microsoft for the entirety of my computing life, I’m just more familiar with them, even if they have a well deserved reputation for being able to crash everything from Windows to MSOffice. As a result, it’s the Xbox all the way for me; your mileage may vary. So what are you waiting for? Go get your freebie already!

El Gato Gamer

Hey!